Commutator for electrical machines



(NoModel.)

W. W. VAIL. GoMMUTAToE EOE ELECTRICAL MACHINES.

Patented NOV.24,1891.

D 2. 5 rif/#42% UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

IVILIIIS IV. VAIL, 0F QUAKER'IOWN, NEV JERSEY.

COM-MUTATOR FOR ELECTRICAL MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 463,694, datedNovember 24, 1891.

Application tiled June 23, 1890. Serial No. 356,417. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, IVILLIS IV. VAIL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Quakertown, in the county of Hunterdon and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Commutators'for Electrical Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertain to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to commutators or devices for shitting theelectric current from a continuous to an alternating current; and itconsists in an improved construction for such devices, as hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side view of acommutator provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is an end view of thesame. Fig. 3 is a top view of the same. Fig. 4 is a section taken online@c a; of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line y y of Fig.

The commutator is cylindrical in form and is mounted on a shaft A, whichis journaled in the standards B on the base C. On the shaft A is placeda tubular seat a for the brass rings c c', placed thereon, the seat abeing of vulcanite or other suitable non-conductingmaterial and providedwith a rib or collar e, which separates the said rings. The collars b bare placed on the shaft A at the extremities of the seat d, and therings c c are thus insulated by said collars and seat. The cylinders dcZ, extending along the shaft from the collars b b', are of brass,vulcanite, or other suitable material for supporting other parts.

Outside of the parts above described is a vulcanite spool or cylinder D,provided with heads f at its extremities, one of which is made solidwith the cylinder and the other secured thereto, as shown. Secured tothe cylinder D and extending along the same are a series of bars F and EE, the said bars F extending Jfrom one head f to the other, and the barsE E being short bars and arranged two on the same line between the barsF, as shown. At their inward ends the bars E E are separated by blocksg, of vulcanite, and thin longitudinal strips 72 of vulcanite or mica,are placed between the bars for severally insulating them. The bars E Eare connected by screws i i" with the rings c c.

Four brushes G G and H II extend upward from the base C in positions tobear against the bars F and E E of the commutator, two brushes being oneach side, and connected with each brush-holder is a bindingpost I. Inthe drawings (see Fig. the commutator is shown with six bars F and sixcouples of bars E E', the latter being ar-v ranged two on a line, sothat alloccupytwelve lines, and the construction should be such that thenumber of lines of bars should be divisible by four.

Vhen the commutator is in position so that the brush G bears against oneof the bars F, the brush G bears against the same bar and the brushes IIII bear against a bar F, diametrically opposite. If the position of thecommutator is such that the brush G bears against a bar E, the brush Gwill bear against the bar E', which is in line with said bar E, and thebrushes II Il will bear respectively against the bars E E,which arediametrically opposite to those in contact with G and G Inoperation,suppose a continuous current to enter the machine at G, thebrush G resting against a bar F, the current will then leave thecoinmutator by the brush G on the circuit employed, and returning to thebrush II passes from thence through a bar F to the brush I-I, and thenceback to the dynamo. Il the position of the commutator is such that thebrushes G G bear against two bars E E, then the current enteringat Gpasses through a bar E and a screw i' to abrassringc,tl1ence aroundthrough another screw t' to a bar E, diametricallyopposite the barE,whichit iirst entered, and thence out at the brush II on anothercircuit employed. Returning to the brush G the current passes throughabar E', a screw i', a ring c', another screw fi', and a bar E to thebrush II', and from thence to the dynamo.

In the working circuit any translating device adapted to be operated byan alternating current, as a motor, an incandescent lamp, a focusing arclamp, or an electric-welding machine, may be employed.

In Fig. 3 the course of a current is indicated in dotted lines runningfrom the arrow s, en-

IOO

tering the machine at G, leaving the same at G', and passing to analternating-current motor, and from thence returning and entering themachine at Il.

As Will be seen, the current, while flowing continuously in onedirection in the wires from the dynamo connected with brushes G and H',may be'oaused to flow alternately in one way and the other through'wires connecting brushes G and H.

The device may be driven by any suitable motor, an electromotor of lowresistance introduced in the circuit being preferable. The entirecurrent may be passed through the motor or a shunt may be employed, sothat just a sufficient amount passes through it to give the requiredspeed. The number of alternations per second may be varied by varyingthe speed of the motor or byincreasing orde- WILLIS W. VAIL.

Witnesses:

Il. W. CRAWFORD, J. W. AsHWoRTH.

